I always thought I would use Chapter 100 to do something special – maybe write about 100 things that have amused, bemused or confused me about America…….

Instead of ‘special’, I am using Chapter 100 to do something ‘important and useful’, which really has nothing to do with the USA, but more to do with the UK, and my family.

My cousin, Leda Bolden, has been missing for a week in the UK and I am trying to raise the profile of her case.

These are the facts from the police:

Leda Bolden – missing since 31 March

Police are concerned about the welfare of a Bedford woman who has been missing from her home since Sunday evening. (March 31)

Leda Bolden, 39, from Waterloo Road, has never been missing before and her husband and 15 year old daughter are very worried about her.

It is known that she visited a local shop to buy cigarettes at 9.20pm, and then walked up Howbury Street which leads directly into Russell Park. This was the last known sighting of her.

She had originally left home on Sunday evening to cool down after a routine family disagreement, leaving the house without her handbag, keys or phone.

Leda is described as white, 5ft 5ins tall, slim with green eyes and shoulder length straight blonde hair. She was wearing lime green Jack Wills jogging bottoms, a lilac polo top, and her husband’s blue/grey French Connection jacket with white trainers when she left the house.

Her family and friends have been unable to make contact with her and are now extremely worried as this type of behaviour is totally out of character for Leda. Initial enquiries by the police have not revealed any information as to her whereabouts so a search by officers of the route she took and the park will start today.

PC Jayne Klein from the Missing Persons Unit is keen to hear from anyone who has any information at all about Leda, anyone who knows her, or may have seen her on the evening of Easter Sunday or since.

“There’s nothing to suggest that Leda has come to harm at the moment,” said PC Klein “But equally, she has never gone missing before and as she seems to have left in an unplanned way and made no contact with her family we are very concerned about her.

“It may be that Leda has decided to take some time out from her routine life and needs some space away from home at present. If so, all she needs to do is to give us a call or walk into the nearest police station and let us know she is safe and well.”

If you can help please contact the Missing Persons Unit through the 24 hour non-emergency police number 101.

So, UK blog readers – please share this blog post far and wide in the hope that we get some information about Leda soon.

Stay strong, keep us up-to-date on news. I know it sounds stupid, but I was missing once after an accident, and my mother heard me calling out-1200 miles away. They thought she was nuts but she insisted on searching and I was rescued. Maybe readers here could suspend their doubts for a minute or two and send positive thought-message to Claire’s cousin. It can’t hurt to try.